Harry Potter and the Curse That Wasn't
by Amande-chan
Summary: The infamous Hogwarts trio returns to Hogwarts to find they have visitors. A school from Japan has come to challenge Hogwarts to a competition, and play a little Quidditch too! But who is the mysterious girl who can play with Elven Magic?
1. The Niece From Nowhere

A/N: just two. This is the prequel to the NEW "Harry Potter and the Melandrian Curse" and also Emmy and Selene are the same person...REMEMBER THAT.

**__**

Harry Potter and the Curse that Wasn't

Seventeen-year-old Harry Potter had just arrived at Kings' Cross Station in London with his best friend, Ron Weasley and Ron's younger sister Ginny Weasley. They were headed for the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10 when they heard someone call to them.

"Harry! Ron! Ginny! Wait up!" it was Harry and Ron's friend Hermione Granger. The group slid through the barrier in pairs—Pigwidgeon hooting excitedly from his cage.

Once on Platform 9 ¾, with Mrs. Weasley behind them, they began to say their good-byes when the whistle blew. They all got on board and waved to Mrs. Weasley as the train began to pull away.

After a few minutes, Ginny had gone to find her friends and the three were left alone in a compartment. Hermione was reading the _Daily Prophet_ to catch up on wizarding news and Ron was telling Harry all about the Quidditch World Cup that year.

"Japan won?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, they've got this great Keeper. His name's Kamino—I heard he's about our age!"

"Hey! You guys, listen to this!" Hermione said and began reading an article from the _Daily Prophet_ to them.

****

WIZARDING COMPETITION TO BEGIN AT HOGWARTS

Fun appears to be in store for the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year. The International Magic Cooperation Department has been putting together a competition between two of the most prominent wizarding schools in the world. JAWS and Hogwarts will compete in a large Quidditch tournament and also a magic competition for older students. Though the competition will not be as dangerous or as exclusive as the Triwizard Tournament three years ago, the magic competition is limited to seventh-year students from Hogwarts and senior students from JAWS. Both schools are hopeful that this competition will settle past differences and ally their forces against the Dark Lord. Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts has not yet chosen the students from Hogwarts who will be competing. According to the rules, each school is allowed five students who will compete against each other at different levels. Each student will have a partner from the other school to compete against.

"I will be very delighted to meet the new headmistress of JAWS," Dumbledore said. "I'm hoping we get along, since her students will be spending the entire year here at Hogwarts and her students will attend classes with ours."

"What do you think of that? I hope I'm one of the students picked to compete against them. I think it would be a very neat experience," Hermione said, studying the newspaper a little more.

"What's a jaws?" Ron asked.

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. "JAWS is the Japan Academy of Witchcraft and Sorcery. I've read about it in _The Top 10 Best Wizarding Schools at a Glance_. That's where your Kamino would be attending if he were our age and still in school. In fact, if he is, he's probably coming with them."

"Tai Kamino? Here? At Hogwarts? That's like having Viktor Krum here all over again!" Ron said. "Wicked!" Hermione rolled her eyes again.

"So we get to compete against other Quidditch teams?" Harry asked.

"I guess. I wonder when Professor Dumbledore will be announcing who's competing for Hogwarts?" Hermione said.

"Maybe tonight, if they're gonna be having classes with us," Harry suggested.

~::§::~::§::~

The Sorting seemed to take forever that night at the feast. When it finally finished, it didn't seem to be over, because Professor McGonagall stayed right where she was as Dumbledore stood up to address the school.

"Students of Hogwarts, many of you already know that we are expecting guests this year. They have already arrived and are waiting just outside the Great Hall's doors. So without further ado, I would like to introduce, our guests, the students, and staff, of the Japan Academy of Witchcraft and Sorcery." At that, the doors opened and a tall woman with long, curly black hair lead a line of students, twenty or so long down the middle of the Great Hall. Following them was another tall woman, who could've been taken as the first's sister, except her hair was brown, and behind her was a younger man who was not dressed as a wizard but more as a muggle.

Many of the students were looking curiously around and Harry caught one of their eyes. She definitely wasn't Japanese, but she had long curly black hair and dark violet eyes. She smiled slightly, but then Harry's concentration was broke by Ron who was staring at the girl at the front of the line of students.

"I thought the Beauxbatons girls were nice-looking, they don't hold a candle to these ones," and Harry was suddenly reminded of what he had said to Ron about how girls were made okay at Hogwarts—and Cho. But Cho had been a crush, and she had probably forgotten Harry.

"I would like to introduce, Headmistress Olivetta of JAWS and her Deputy Headmistress, Professor Olivetta," so they _were_ related. "I would also like to introduce another member of their staff, Professor Furuhata, our Dark Arts professor for the year." Everyone in the Hall seemed surprised when Dumbledore said this and one of the girls up front was beaming with pride. He noticed it was the girl that Ron had been staring at when he said they were pretty. She had long dark hair and dark blue eyes and a sweet smile.

"The students of JAWS will be sorted into houses according to what house they were in at their own school," Dumbledore now spoke to the JAWS students. "Professor McGonagall will call each of your names and tell you what house you will be in. You may then sit down at your respective table—you will know which is yours because no doubt, they will be cheering for you. Professor McGonagall," he acknowledged. She pulled a rolled-up piece of parchment out of her robes and began calling off names.

"Annoya, Tenshi...Slytherin,"

"Chiba, Amanda," the girl Ron had been staring at stepped forward. "Gryffindor," Harry clapped with the rest of the table as she came over and sat down next to Hermione.

"Good evening," she said quietly, smiling.

"Dai-Fat, Ching-Mei...Hufflepuff"

A few names went by...

"Kamino, Tai," There was a wave of whispers and Ron was hissing, "That's him! That's him!" And Amanda was grimacing and telling Hermione that he had wanted to marry her and she refused ("WHY?" Ron demanded). "Gryffindor!" he took the seat next to Amanda and Ron was practically staring at him.

"Kinohota, Azalea...Hufflepuff"

"McGonagall, Selene," Professor McGonagall paused, and looked at the girl with the black hair with a slight smile but it hardened quickly when she said, "Slytherin." Harry had to look at her closely—how could she be a Slytherin? He thought.

There were a few more, but Harry didn't seem to care. He was wondering about the girl named Selene McGonagall. The only thing that seemed remotely interesting was that in the middle of while they were eating Tai suddenly exclaimed at Ron, "Will you stop with the staring! If you're that obsessed with Quidditch then you should be playing it and not ogling over players!" Most of which the JAWS students heard and started laughing out loud, Amanda was trying hard not to and apologized on behalf of Tai as they walked up to their dormitories.

"Now you see why I wouldn't want to marry him? He has an awful temper!" Amanda said. "This place is big," she commented to Hermione—trying to start a conversation. Hermione told her to skip the trick stair as they climbed the staircase. "So...you're Head Girl?"

"Yes," Hermione replied with Amanda close at her heals. Hermione had a little sympathy for her—she seemed desperate to make friends with her.

"Are you going to be competing?" she asked.

"Professor Dumbledore hasn't decided on the students competing yet, are you competing?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, and in the Quidditch tournament," she said with a wink at Ron.

"What do you play?" Ron asked. She smiled as if excited to find someone who found her interesting.

"I'm the Seeker—for the Mizu-Tsuchi team,"

"Mizu-Tsuchi?" Ron asked. "Where's that?"

Amanda looked as if she were trying not to laugh. Hermione just outright laughed. "Ron! They have houses too you know. Mizu and Tsuchi are two of their houses. Am I guessing right that you're in Mizu?

"Yes, we have ally houses because there aren't so many students at our school as there are here, or rather, there are it's just that it's between two schools and your first through third years would be at the JAWS Junior High. We only have four years: freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior."

"So that's why it said only Seventh years and 'seniors' would compete. What are the other houses?" Ron asked.

"There's Kane and Hi. They all have equivalents to Hogwarts you know," Hermione said. "Mizu, Gryffindor; Tsuchi, Hufflepuff; Kane, Ravenclaw; and Hi is like Slytherin. Canary Cream,"

"As you wish," the Fat Lady said.

Amanda jumped—instinctively grabbing Harry's arm.

"That's how you get into our common room," Hermione said as the portrait swung forward and they climbed into the common room. "Just tell her the password, which is Canary Cream right now, and she'll open. I hope you paid attention on the way up." Amanda blushed, she hadn't—she had been too busy chatting.

"Oh, well, that's all right, you'll have classes with us anyway, so you can follow us," Hermione said kindly, sitting down in an armchair next to her.

Tai was examining the fireplace, he hadn't said anything to them on the way up, only to the younger students from the Academy, and even then it had been in Japanese so no one understood. Harry thought he looked like Viktor Krum—surly and determined. But he wasn't duck-footed or slouched, he was actually tall and muscular, like someone who played football (British...soccer)

"Is Selene McGonagall related to our Professor McGonagall?" Harry asked, as if out curiosity.

"I think so, I'm not sure how—I think she's her aunt," Amanda said. "Why?"

"Well, she was put in Slytherin and McGonagall's a Gryffindor, was when she was here and she's our Head of House now." Amanda smiled knowingly and Harry had the suspicion that she had seen through the façade and saw what he was thinking.

"We're sorted differently and she was put in Slytherin because of what house she's in at the Academy. We're put in houses by who and what our families are. Not by our own personal merits. Selene is nice and kind and what-not, but what her family was..." Amanda avoided there gaze and stared at the floor for a moment. "Is completely her business, and I don't really have the right to say. So, any of you play Quidditch?" She said, changing the subject quickly.

"I'm Keeper for the House team, and Harry's Seeker and the team captain. It'll be great to play against someone else for a while," Ron said. Tai seemed slightly interested in this and looked up at them.

"I can't wait for Quidditch to start—I hope we get to play our own school though—I mean, I love duking it out with Selene, she's an awesome flyer,"

"Selene's a Seeker?" Harry asked a little too quickly.

"Yes, for Kane-Hi. She started last year, after try-outs; it was a surprise she had never tried out before. She helped beat us a couple of times last year, and this year she's Seeker for the school team too. I got cut last year after she tried out. But I don't care, at least now I get to watch some of the Quidditch games and not have to play in all of them." She smiled and yawned, then looked at her watch. She laughed an said, "Oh, silly me, I'm still on Tokyo time...um, what time _is_ it...um...and I feel a little stupid, but I never asked your names!"

"Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger," Tai said from the fireplace. The four of them looked up in surprise. "The notorious Hogwarts trio, you've broken more rules in your past 18 terms than our entire school combined."

"How do you know that—" Ron began.

"Miss Granger isn't the only person who reads books, I'm top runner for Valedictorian this year—I read plenty."

"Not if Tenshi gets it first..." Amanda mumbled.

"If you're going to insult me, do it to my face, it hasn't stopped you before," Tai said, and then saw how shocked the other three were. Tai looked at Ron who was sitting at a chair at on of the chess tables.

"We got off on the wrong foot," Tai said holding out his hand, "Tai Kamino."

"Ron Weasley," Ron replied.

"Looking forward to playing Quidditch against you," Tai said and then headed for the spiral staircases.

Ron was staring at his hand when Amanda said, "That's Tai for you—even if he is a baka. And by the way, Selene doesn't go by her first name, she goes by Emmy. She finds it insulting if you call her Selene, unless she gives you permission of course,"

"What?" Harry asked.

"Isn't that an Elven tradition?" Hermione asked. Amanda simply nodded.

Harry found that the Seventh-Year dormitory had been magically enlarged, to fit another bed in it, so there were now six beds instead of five. Harry said good night to Ron and wondered vaguely, as he drifted off to sleep, when Dumbledore was going to announce the Hogwarts competitors.

~::§::~::§::~

"Well, I seem to have managed all right," Amanda said as Hermione sat down at the Gryffindor table, she having gotten down there before them. "I only got lost twice," Hermione handed her her schedule and then passed the stack down the table.

Ron groaned. "Oh...we have Double Potions this morning with the Slytherins...the first day back and we have _Double Potions_...AND Divination and History of Magic this afternoon...this is not fair..."

"What's so bad about Potions?" Tai asked.

"Snape—that's what's horrible." Harry replied.

"Oh, good, our school isn't the only one with an incorrigible Potions Master!" Amanda said happily.

"He just doesn't like _you_, I can vouch that he's quite nice to the rest of –"

"Correction—he's nice to the boys, but not to the girls, it's as if he thinks we'll make a mistake around every corner," Amanda said with a glare at Tai.

"Snape does that to Gryffindors, he's infamous for favoring the Slytherins since he's their Head of House," Ron said. Harry looked over to the Slytherin table where he could see Malfoy trying to engage Selene and Tenshi in conversation, but they seemed a little more interested in their food than Malfoy which made Harry smile.

Amanda was close at Hermione's heals as they headed down into the dungeons to Snape's classroom.

"Amanda-sempai, how are you?" a soft voice said from behind them when they reached the dungeons. The five of them turned around to see Selene and Tenshi standing there with a few Slytherin boys looking at her curiously behind her.

"I'm not sempai here Emmy, you don't have to call me that, and I'm fine, how are you getting along?" Amanda asked.

"Fairly well, like Headmistress says, 'Mages born with English blood are born with Hogwarts blood too,' I didn't know what she meant until now, but this _feels_ like home much more than the Academy."

"I don't know how anyone could find these dungeons like home...they're so cold and drafty—oh, where are my manners? This is Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Harry Potter. And you three already know who this is: Tenshi Annoya and Emmy McGonagall, they're competing in the tournament as well."

Selene smiled and Tenshi shook hands with Ron and Harry, "Pleasure."

"I'd watch who you touch Annoya, the Gryffindor might rub off on you," Malfoy was approaching with Snape not far behind them.

"After meeting him, Gryffindor sounds better than Slytherin," Harry heard Tenshi mumble to Amanda. Amanda smiled broadly as they took seats near the back of the classroom.

Amanda learned what Harry and Ron meant by Snape hated Gryffindors, but she also learned why Harry could easily hate him—Snape poured most of his Gryffindor hate onto him. The boy in front of her, Neville, she learned was actually worse at Potions than she was, which was a surprise since she was the worst senior at Potions. He spilled all of his porcupine needles onto the floor half-way through class. Snape almost yelled at him, but Selene, who was sitting across the aisle helped him pick them up. Snape hardly ever told off a student from his own house and simply let it pass. Neville stared at her in surprise.

"Thanks," he said.

"You're welcome," she whispered, and then went back to work.

After class Harry went up to Selene to tell her something.

"You know, that was really nice what you did for Neville—most Slytherins wouldn't do that," he said. She just stared at him and then with a sweep of her hair, she turned icily around and walked away.

"She may find this feels like home, but she's too used to JAWS, she thinks you're too prejudiced against each other," Tenshi said. "She'll get over it when she discovers you're not sorted by what's in your past—but by what's up here," Tenshi pointed to his head and then shrugged—"See you later then, Care of Magical Creatures tomorrow." And he walked off. Harry didn't know it, but he was going to learn one of the greatest things he'd ever learn: It's not _what_ you are that makes you a person—it's how you act as what you are that makes you a person.

~::§::~::§::~

Harry quickly announced the first Quidditch practice of the year. He had been made team captain the year before and was a little sad that it would be his last year as a Seeker for the Gryffindor team—but he was determined to make it his best and have fun at the same time. It was a sunny September Saturday afternoon and he had signed the team up for the pitch all afternoon. But just as he was thinking about this and telling the team about the tournament another team was walking out onto the pitch.

"Oy!" Harry yelled. "We got the pitch this afternoon!"

"I know that—but I was hoping for a scrimmage!" as they came closer Harry recognized the other captain as Tai, and the rest of the Mizu-Tsuchi team. "You know, the tournament starts soon and if you borrow the field all afternoon the other five teams don't really get the chance to use it, you know?" Tai said. "But if you don't want to scrimmage Potter, fine with me, I've played on worse—" he gestured toward the vast expanse of the Hogwarts grounds. "But if we scrimmage, you know what you're up against, and the same goes for us—I hear you're good."

"Up for a scrimmage then?" Harry asked the rest of the team. Ron was nodding, wide eyed. "We're in then."

"Good, you don't mind if we brought a referee, do you?" Harry looked behind the other team and saw Selene sitting there on her broom hovering lazily and twirling a cat tail between her fingers.

"No, not all, but can—"

"She's a Seeker Potter, she sees everything, and I know—she's on the school team, she can give play by plays of what happened in games a year ago, one's she was playing in."

Selene looked up at him and yawned. "Are we going to get this show on or what?" she asked.

"C'mon then Emmy, release the Snitch and set us off," she flew slowly past them and Harry noticed what kind of broom she had. It was a Skyfire 3000. His Firebolt seemed like nothing compared to this, the Skyfire line had proved to be a little more reliable than the Firebolt and it was just as fast—if not faster.

Harry had already opened the box that contained the Quidditch balls and she pulled the little Snitch out and let it go. She released the Bludgers and then grabbed the Quaffle and motioned for them to hurry.

"The saying 'all's fair in love and war' means _only _love and war—nowhere does it say Quidditch...that means fair game and Academy students know what it means when you don't play fair for me. Mount your brooms!" She gave a loud blast on her whistle and fifteen brooms flew high in the air.

Harry went up, up, up, and Amanda followed close behind. He noticed she was on a Skyfire 3000 too. Hers looked different though—Selene's had an intricate design painted on it that he hadn't really took notice of.

Tai was right—Selene meant fair, she called all fowls, whether Gryffindor or Mizu-Tsuchi. But when Harry wasn't watching her, Amanda went into a dive. _She's seen the Snitch_, he thought.

But, nearly too late did Harry realize that she had pulled the infamous Wronski Feint on him. He pulled up just in time and as she soared nearly fifty-feet higher than the posts and called to him "Nice flying! But I expected better from the youngest Seeker for Hogwarts in a century!"

Harry went a little red. He was good. He knew it. What was she playing at? And then he saw it—right near her head. The Golden Snitch was flying by her ear. Amanda had stopped in midair, as if she didn't notice it and then Harry zoomed towards her. But when he was merely a foot away from reaching it she casually reached up and grabbed it. And then they collided. Harry knocked her off her broom. They were so high up they could barely see the rest of their teams. Harry made a mad grab for her hand as she fell. He missed it, and then dived after her. Her broom, being aerodynamic fell much faster than she did and she couldn't get a hold of it. They were nearing Selene—Selene looked up just as Harry grabbed Amanda wrist. Harry was flipped upside down by her weight and was losing control of his broom.

"_Feteroferes!_" Selene bellowed and used her hands as if she were catching them. Amanda and Harry fell to a slow stop, just inches above the ground. Selene dove for them—she was fast.

"Are either of you hurt?" her eyes darted from one to the other.

Both of them shook their heads. Selene blew her whistle to signal the end of the game.

"You've got the Snitch then?" Selene said to Amanda.

"Yeah, but Harry had me, so I don't know if it counts," she said with a small laugh and a grateful look at Harry.

"He's the one who collided with you, Mizu-Tsuchi wins. And Amanda, you should know better than to pull crap like that after nearly breaking your neck last year while I was refereeing. Maige'll have my head if anything happens to you—have my head she will!" Selene said angrily, walking away. Hermione stopped her though, before she could leave. _Where did she come from?_ Harry thought.

"What _was_ that, Emmy? I've never seen magic like that, is it wizard magic?"

"No. I'm sorry Miss Granger, I have to get back up to the castle, I've promised tea with someone," and she bustled off looking rather bothered.

"Saved my backside, saved it again she did," Amanda said quietly somewhat mimicing the way Selene had been talking.. "Elven magic, she's incredible, isn't she? Started studying it for extra-credit freshman year and look what she can do now. Good show, Harry. I like playing against you, you fall for dirty tricks, and then you pay them back. Selene just plays fair, nice for a change."

"Good game Potter, looking forward to the real one at the end of the year, See you back up in the common room," Tai gave a short wave and most of the team departed. Except Amanda who was examining the bruises Harry gave her on her arm and wrist.

"Harry!" Hermione said running over. "I've just got the evening _Daily Prophet_! And you'll never believe what's in it!"

"Please don't say something about me," Harry said as she waved it at him.

"Sort of. Dumbledore's chosen the Hogwarts competitors and it says who we're up against! He's supposed to announce tonight at dinner but the paper's already got a hold of who he's picked and all the agreements and everything."

"Well, did you make it?" Harry said, trying to get her to get to the point.

"Of course, I'm up against Amanda, we have to compete against each other and work together on stuff, it'll be fun won't it?" she asked Amanda. Amanda smiled and nodded, she looked as if Harry had hit her a little harder than she had thought and was massaging a red spot on her forearm.

"Good for you Hermione, I hope you have fun!" Ron said. "Now can we get back to our Quidditch practice, we were just sorely beaten 160-10."

"Oh Ron! Shut up for a minute and listen! This is more important than Quidditch right now! You and Harry are competing too! You're with Tai and Harry is with _Emmy_!" Hermione heard Amanda giggle softly behind her. "But that's not all, Malfoy is one of the competitors and Tenshi is with him."

"Who're the others? Didn't the other article say there were five from each school?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, but it's just Justin Finch-Fletchley against Azalea Kinohota—but isn't this great? We all get to compete; it'll be loads of fun and we'll learn a lot!" Of course Hermione would tack that on the end.


	2. Muggles and Melandrians

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting in the chamber off of the Great Hall, behind the staff table. There were seven other students in there with them. Tenshi, Selene, Amanda, Tai, Malfoy, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Azalea Kinohota.

When the four of them had come back into the building, Harry and Ron still attired in Quidditch robes, Professor McGonagall and Professor Olivetta told them to go to the room where Tai and Selene already were. In the past few minutes, others had joined them and now the teachers arrived: Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, Headmistress Olivetta, and Professor Olivetta.

Those who were sitting stood up when the teachers entered the room.

"I see some of you have already been informed of why you're here," Dumbledore said, eyeing the _Evening Prophet_ that Hermione was still holding. She pinkened and put the paper in her pocket.

"My students know that they were chosen for their avid interest in promoting international relations as well as making foreign friends. And also for their own abilities," Headmistress Olivetta said with emphatic glances at a few of her students.

"And the Hogwarts students were chosen not only because of their ability but their personal traits as well," Professor McGonagall said.

"You must understand though—once we cast a binding spell, then you will no longer be able to refuse to participate. Now is your last chance to back out," Professor Olivetta said quietly. No one moved or said anything. They all seemed determined to continue.

"Very well, then, line up there," Headmistress Olivetta said. "Hogwarts students on one side, Academy on the other—oh, my mistake, not all of you know who your partners are. Miss Granger, you're with Miss Chiba, Mr. Annoya, you're with Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Weasley is with Mr. Kamino, Mr. Finch-Fletchley, you're with Miss Kinohota, and Mr. Potter, you're with Miss McGonagall. Now, line up!" She said a little more urgently. The Hogwarts students lined up, facing their partners. "Now, shake hands, and don't let go," she instructed. Dumbledore stepped forward with her, looking down the line of students. Harry gripped Selene's hand, and he noticed something on her wrist—a tattoo of some sort. It was a red dragon, twisting around her wrist and reaching for sun. But she slid the hem of her sleeve down, with a warning look at him. Headmistress Olivetta and Dumbledore had their wands out; they were pointing them down the row, muttering something. Harry couldn't quite make out the words. When their wand tips touched, flowing silver light flowed down the row, wrapping itself around their hands. And then it disappeared. Harry had no idea what had just happened.

"There is no longer any possible way you may back out of the competition now, you are now bound to it by a magical contract," Dumbledore said.

"The first round will be on Halloween. It's simple, and you will know exactly what's coming. You will simply be dueling with each other. There will be restrictions given to you at a later time. Obviously, one of them is you may not use the Unforgivable Curses," Professor McGonagall said sternly.

The students nodded, except Malfoy, who frowned. But none of the teachers seemed to notice and they were dismissed—the rest of the night went quickly, almost as if the world was in fast-forward. Dumbledore announced to the entire school who was chosen. Many Academy students looked very sour when Amanda's name was said, and to Harry's surprise, many Hogwarts students mumbled words to their friends when his was said. He knew what they were saying—"favoritism"—no doubt. Not to mention, Ron, Hermione, and he had been treated a little specially for a long time. He didn't care though, unlike the Triwizard Tournament that seemed hundreds of years ago, he had his friends in this one, and also a new friend who, although supposedly Hermione's enemy, seemed to find a common ground with her, and she and Hermione shared a secret smile when they were announced. 

Sunday passed quickly, Harry and Ron slept in to find Amanda and Hermione chatting excitedly about the first round. Harry was surprised at how laid back Hermione was about it all, being the new Head Girl, he thought she would have been frantic about it, with N.E.W.T.S coming up, and all the homework they would undoubtedly have. But she didn't seem worried, she was gossiping with Amanda as if she were Parvati Patil and not the girl genius Hermione Granger. At least the Gryffindor seventh-years had their first Defense Against the Dark Arts class to look forward to.

* * *

First thing Monday morning after breakfast half of the seventh-years headed for the DADA classroom. The Slytherins seemed to have DADA with the Gryffindors. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Amanda took seats near the back of the classroom.

"Three classes with Slytherins? This is going to be an interesting year..." Ron groaned.

"Slytherin's not so bad," Harry and Amanda said at the same time as Tenshi and Selene entered.

"Hey chica," Tenshi said with a smile to Amanda. He sat down in front of Amanda and Selene in front of Hermione. The bell rang, but Professor Furuhata did not show up. Students started chatting and goofing off after a few minutes.

"So, does this guy know any Dark Arts stuff?" Ron asked.

"Dunno, he's the Mortal Courses teacher at the Academy," Amanda replied.

"It's a disgrace the people Dumbledore's hiring these days," Malfoy sneered to his Slytherin friends. "Honestly, two Muggles in three years. And that first one was pathetic—"

Malfoy had touched a nerve in Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Lysandra Leonessa had been their friend. "Nobody insults Professor Leonessa in front of us!" Each of them performed a different hex at the same time.

"_Petrificus Totalus!_"

"_Rictusempra!_"

"_Tarantellegra!_"

Each of the curses hit a different person, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"_Expelliarmus!_" Someone called from behind them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione's wands flew out of their hands and landed in Professor Furuhata's. "_Finite Incantatem!_" Malfoy could move again, Crabbe stopped laughing, and Goyle stopped dancing. "For your information Mr. Malfoy, I'm not a muggle. Five points from Slytherin."

"What about them?" Malfoy said indignantly.

"Five points for each hex you used against Mr. Malfoy and his friends," he handed them their wands back. "But since this is Defense against the Dark Arts, Ten points each for the effectiveness of them." Malfoy made a look that clearly said that this was unfair. "Don't try Mr. Malfoy, or I'll take ten points from Slytherin for each of those simple hexes you were not able to block." This shut Malfoy up. Two minutes into class and Gryffindor had already received fifteen points.

"It seems you've had a pretty good background in curses and hexes, as Miss Granger and Messrs. Potter and Weasley have demonstrated, as well as a lot of Dark creatures. Kappas, Red Caps, vampires, boggarts, Grindylows, werewolves. But for the most part, none of it leaves Europe. You haven't looked at creatures and human curses or otherwise that exist outside of Europe. Can anyone in here recite the Melandrian Curse?" Hermione's hand shot up as usual, but so did Amanda's and Selene's. "Miss Granger, you look eager enough."

"_Born from evil, living in hate.  
If not true love's first kiss,  
death shall be thy fate.  
If not true love's pure hearted kiss given,  
curse and power shall never be risen._"

"Very good, take another five points," he replied. Hermione was glowing. "Melandrians are commonly found in Asia, have a Japanese background and look quite similar to each other. Most have dark, violet eyes, and black hair. Most commonly straight. A wizard can never be a Melandrian, only a witch can. Throughout history, Melandrians have often been treated as werewolves are. Though not dangerous to girls and women, with just a single kiss, a Melandrian could kill a man. Not just wizards, but muggles too…" but Harry was lost in thought. He had noticed that Hermione was not taking her usual notes but instead, staring at the back of Selene's head, who was staring at her desk, grasping the edge of her notebook so tightly that her knuckles were white, and she looked even paler then he had seen her yet. And Amanda seemed to be sitting in the same rigid, tense position, only she was staring at the professor.

* * *_  
_

The rest of September seemed to pass uneventfully, except for Quidditch practice. Harry had watched the Kane-Hi team play (they had once again been invited to scrimmage), and he had first-hand experience with Selene's flying. She was good, but whether it was because she was letting him or she was not quite so fast as he had thought, he caught the Snitch before her. Harry had a feeling that the entire team was holding back, merely to fake them out, and take them by surprise at the match against them.

October came and a week before Halloween found Harry, Ron, and Hermione growing nervous. Harry and Ron hadn't exactly been tactful about looking up hexes, and Hermione was becoming temperamental about homework and research, just as she did before exams.

"You know, instead of wasting your time, you three could be doing your homework," Hermione commented, looking over the top of her book at Harry and Ron, who were playing chess, and Amanda who was sitting upside-down in one of the armchairs watching.

"I've been done with my homework for hours," Amanda said with a yawn. "I did it at lunch."

"Professor McGonagall's entire essay?" Hermione asked. "I'm only half done and I've been working on it for at least an hour!"

"That's because you go about it the wrong way," Amanda replied, sitting up. "You look to books, instead of what's already in your head. Of course, your Hogwarts classes are a bit odd; we've learned most of things that you're doing. Put a smile on your face when you're doing homework and think about something to look forward to when you finish, you'll finish much faster."

"I don't need tutoring on how to do my homework, thank you," Hermione said a little haughtily as she began reading her book. Amanda stuck her tongue out at her and went back to watching Harry and Ron's game.

"She gets like that when you tell her to relax--N.E.W.T.s coming up and all," Ron said.

"What are N.E.W.T.s?" Amanda asked.

"Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. Don't you take them at the Academy?" Harry asked.

"Nope, we do have Graduation Exams though. Somebody dies every year. It's kind of creepy," Amanda said with a shudder. "Nobody knows what happens either because everyone who's taken the exams before is sworn to secrecy."

"You know, even if you are done with your essay, you could be looking up hexes for the first round," Hermione said, looking crossly at them.

"We could," Ron said.

"Hermione's right," Amanda said. "At least as far as you two go. I mean, Selene is like the master of curses, and I know Tai knows some nasty ones--Halloween is only a week away. And I'm already prepared Hermione. Perhaps it is you who should be looking up hexes?" Amanda was smiling and Harry wondered if Hermione knew it was meant as a joke. He knew she did when he noticed she was smiling into her essay. "Honestly, is this all you people do for fun around here? I mean, I know I don't live at my school or anything in Japan--but even if you do, you're allowed out of the castle on weekends!"

"Tomorrow is a Hogsmeade day," Hermione said, setting her book on Amanda's feet, scaring her. She fell out of the chair, onto her head. Hermione sat down in the chair with the disdain that only a seventeen-year-old girl could have. Amanda sat up and looked ruefully at her new friend as she rubbed her head. Hermione smiled. "We can go shopping. I'll show you around Hogsmeade," she offered.

"Suteki," Amanda replied, her hand still resting on her head. "Hard to believe in just one week the first round will be starting."

"Hard to believe that in just one week, we'll be twenty feet apart staring each other down. I've tried dueling once, and it landed me in a head-lock," Hermione said with a grimace.

"I'm not going to put you in a head-lock…"Amanda said, trying not to laugh. "I might turn you upside-down and use a Tickling Charm on you--" All of them laughed. The thought of Hermione being hung by her ankles was ridiculous, but then again, very possible.

* * *


End file.
